Valve structure



Sept. 24, 1935. J. R. REPLOGLE VALVE S TRUCTURE Filed June 9, 1952 m@ Mn me n IH IA d Y/ JM Patented Sept. 24, 1935 VALVE STRUCTURECorporation, Mount Clemens, Mich., a corporation oi Michigan ApplicationJune 9, 1932, Serial No. 616,274

1 Claim.

structure of the type described that is simple in construction,efficient in operation and economical to produce.

Another object isto provide a valve structure in which the movable valveelement is of minimum weight.

Another object is the provision of a valve structure that will result ina minimum of noise in operating at high speed.

Another object is the provision of a valve vstructure in which the onlymovable element thereof comprises a thin metallic disc. Y

Another object is the provision of a valve structure which will permit aminimum amount of clearance to be maintained between the head of thepiston and the valve plate in a compressor structure.

Another object is the provision of a piston having a novel valvemechanism formed therewith.

Another object is the provision of a piston having an openingtherethrough and a pair of annular valve seats between which saidopening is located, a bolt secured in the piston within the inner ofsaid seats and provided with a shank portion surrounded by a disc valvewhich is axially slidable thereon, the bolt having a head for limitingthe amount of movement which said disc valve may have away from saidseat.

The above being among the objects of the present invention the sameconsists in certain novel features of construction and combinations ofparts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment ofthe present invention, and in which like numerals refer to like partsthroughout the several different views,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional View taken through the center of thecylinder of a compressor mechanism, and including the suction anddischarge valve structures therefor.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showingthe suction valve in plan view.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l andillustrating the discharge valve in plan View.

Referring to the drawing, a compressor cylinder is indicated at i0, acylinder head at l I and a plate i2 interposed therebetween which plateis commonly known as a valve plate and serves in part to form thedischarge valve of the compressor structure. Suitable gaskets such as itand i are interposed respectively between the plate P5 i2 and thecylinder it, and between the plate i2 and cylinder head I i. in theinstance shown the plate i2 is provided with a circular recess it in itsupper surface and concentric with the cylinder l 9,and'the lower face ofthe recess is cut away to 10 provide two annular valve seats i8 and 2t,one positioned within the other and in generally spaced and concentricrelation with respect to each other. The central portion of the plate l2is not cut away, the result being the provision of 15 an upstanding boss22 thereon, preferably concentric with the cylinder it. A plurality ofopenings 24 extend through the plate l2 between the upper and lowersurfaces thereof and between the annular valve seats i3 and 2Q. Slidablyguided 20 for vertical movement on the boss Q2 is a relanl tively thindisc valve 26 constantly-urged towards engagement with the seats i8 and2t by a spring comprising a central annular portion 2S and radiallyextending integral lingers 3i?, as best indin 25 cated in Fig. 3. y

For maintaining the spring just described under suitable tension and forlimiting the lift of the valve disc 25, a valve retaining memberindicated `generally as at 32 is provided. The 30 member 32 is providedwith a nat marginal edge portion 34, the outer diameter of which issubstantially the same as the diameter of the recess iii and whichaccordingly is receivable therein, and the thickness of the iiange 3Q issubstantial- 35 ly equal to the depth of the outer edge of the recess i6so that the member 32 is securely clamped in position when the cylinderhead il is secured to the cylinder l0. The center of the member 32 isprovided with an opening 35 which 40 receives therein the boss 22 on theplate l2. The member 32 immediately inwardly of the iiange 34 is formedto lprovide an annular upwardly projecting portion 33, the under side ofwhich is consequently formed to provide an an- 45 nular groove 4tagainst the radially inner edge of which the ends of the fingers 30 bearin wiping relationship. Openings 42, for the escape of gas below themember 32 into the gas receiving chamber 44 formed in the cylinder headIl 50 are formed in the portion 33 as best indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

Reciprocably received within the cylinder l0 is a piston 5t which may beconnected by means oi a wrist pin such as 52 and connecting ro-d 54 55with the usual crank or eccentric (not shown) which such compressors areconventionally provided with. The top surface of the piston 50 isannularly recessed as at 56, 58 and 60, in concentric relationship, toprovide two upstanding concentric annular valve seats 62 and 64respectively. Openings 56 extend through the head of the piston betweenthe seats 64 and 66 to permit the passage of gas therethrough.

The central recess in the head of the piston is, in turn, centrallyrecessed as at 68 to a considerably .greater -depth and this recesscommunicates with a central opening 'I8 in which a threaded plug or bolt'l2 is received. A shoulder 13 is t us formed at the junction of therecess 68 an opening 10. The bolt I2 is provided with an enlarged shankportion 14 and a head 16, the portion M being of a size to relativelyclosely t the recess 68. A valve disc 18 slidably surrounds the shankportion M of a bolt 'l2 in a position to operatively engage the seats 62and 64 and the length of the shank portion 'M is such as to permit alimited amount of axial movement of the valve disc 18 between the seatsand 64 and the head 16 of the bolt 12. The bolt 'l2 is secured in thehead of the piston preferably by means of a lock washer and a nut 82 andit is preferable when employing the nut 82 to draw the bolt l2 down intoposition with the lower end of the shank portion 14 in contact with theshoulder 13, that a suitable sealing compound be inserted in the recess68 so as to insure a complete seal between the bolt and the head of thepiston against the escape of gas.

The bolt 'l2 itself is preferably formed of a type of steel that may bebrought to an extreme hardness upon suitable heat treatment so thatthere will be no appreciable wear of its surface along the area thereofwhere the valve discv 18 may rub in operation. The head 'I6 of the bolti2 is preferably tapered and reduced in size, as indicated in Fig. 1,and the under side of the valve plate l2 is preferably recessed as at 84for relatively close reception of the same when the piston is in itsoutermost position. The added clearance space between the pistons andthe valve plate as a result of the projecting head of the bolt 12, ispractically negligible as will be apparent and, consequently, theclearance volume between the piston and the valve plate may be broughtto an extremely small volume in actual practice and thereby aid inproducing a compressor mechanism having a high rate of efficiency.

It may be pointed out that heretofore in connection with dischargevalves of the general type shown it has been considered necessary toprovide an appreciable amount of Weight in the movable parts of suchvalves so that the inertia of the movable valve lparts at either end ofthe 1 piston stroke will aid in opening and closing the valve. Inpractice, however, I have found the opposite to be true and that themovable part should be as light as possible so as to be influenced asquickly as possible by variations of 1 pressure on opposite sides of thepiston head, and consequently it will be apparent that with the suctionvalve structure indicated the only movable part in the suction valve isthe valve disc 18 which, being of relatively thin material, 2 is ofextreme lightness. Not only does this feature permit quicker action ofthe valve but in addition, because of its lightness, it results in avalve structure which operates with a minimum of noise at high speed,particularly, where the 2 lift of the valve is correctly proportioned tothe amount of gas which must flow lpast it during operation.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the inventiondescribed without 3 departing from the spirit or substance ol the broadinvention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claim.

I claim:

In a device of the type described, in combina- 3 tion, a piston having arecess in the head thereof, a pair of concentric valve seatsformed onthe bottom of said recess, said head having openings therethroughbetween said seats, said head having an opening therethrough centrallyof said 40 seats, a bolt xed in the last mentioned opening and having ahead above the head of said piston,

` and a disc valve mounted on said bolt for axial movement between saidhead of said bolt and said seats, said disc valve being receivable insaid 45 JOHN R. REPLOGLE.

